Monday, Amazon launched its first batch of operational Project Kuiper satellites as it begins the build-out of its satellite internet constellation. However, the start has been delayed, and reports show the company might not meet the FCC deadline that is fast approaching.
The launch of Amazon’s Kuiper-1 mission took place on an Atlas V rocket from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission was ULA‘s first launch of the year and was previously scrubbed due to weather earlier this month. ULA’s long delay to reattempt Amazon’s launch wasn’t due to the rocket but was believed to be due to unknown restrictions at the Eastern Range.
It’s rare, but sometimes highly classified operations can take up large swaths of the range’s time without any explanation. It’s speculated that tests of an early prototype of an ICBM interceptor that could be used in President Trump’s Golden Dome system were being tested.
However, once the range was available, ULA took no time to get Kuiper-1 off the ground with a clean launch and successful deployment of the 27 satellites.
Those 27 satellites are the first of a required 1,616 that the FCC is requiring to be in orbit before July of 2026. That gives Amazon and its launch partners roughly 14 months to deploy 1,589 more satellites, a rate only achievable by SpaceX with its Starlink satellites.
Amazon hoped to have begun launching Kuiper satellites last year, but delays in the production of satellites and its primary launcher, ULA’s Vulcan, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn, meant Monday’s launch was its start. Amazon has hedged its bets for its Kuiper launches, signing contracts also with Arianespace and its satellite internet competitor SpaceX.
While finding a ride to space can be hard, according to a Bloomberg report, building satellites is getting harder. Bloomberg reports that Amazon is struggling to build one satellite a day and so far has only produced a few dozen of them. Its goal is to produce five a day, but right now, it looks like Amazon won’t even be able to build enough satellites to meet its FCC deadline.
Amazon will likely have to request an extension of its deadline, which seems probable but is not a guarantee. Concerns over President Trump’s dislike of Jeff Bezos and potential interference from Elon Musk could make the extension harder than it should be, according to Bloomberg.
For now, ULA plans to launch its remaining non-Starliner Atlas V within the next year to support Kuiper’s rollout and hopefully a few Vulcans as well. We don’t have any word yet from Blue Origin on when its next New Glenn rocket could launch, but it’s unlikely to have any Kuiper satellites on board.
Launch gallery
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